Career advisors can assist you with writing resumes or cover letters, finding internships, developing job search strategies, and practicing interview skills. Career counselors can help you with establishing career goals, interpreting career-related assessments, making career decisions, coping with career transitions, and overcoming obstacles to career development. Counselors hold master’s degrees and certification or licensure in counseling. Remember, career advisors and counselors will not make a decision for you.

Please note: To accommodate the needs of Towson University’s large student population, individual appointments are limited to three per semester.

Come prepared to discuss your interests and goals for the future. (If you are not sure about your career goals, consider scheduling a career counseling appointment .)

Bring a printed copy of your resume and/or cover letter. Our resource library is available for you to print for free. If you would like a comprehensive resume and/or cover letter review, please consider scheduling a resume review or cover letter appointment .

Be ready to discuss your current employment status and any steps you have already taken to achieve your career goals.

The counselor/advisor will go over key components to a successful job search and assist you in developing a strategy to cover all areas of the job search process.

The counselor/advisor will share specific tools, tips and resources to help you complete the next steps in your search

Come prepared to discuss your interests and goals for the future; if you’ve identified/applied to specific programs, it would be helpful to bring information on the programs and their admission requirements.

Be ready to discuss any steps you have already taken to research or apply to graduate school. The counselor/advisor will provide guidance regarding what steps to take next in the application process, and how to take those steps successfully.

Don’t worry if you are just beginning the process; the counselor/advisor is there to help you, regardless of how far you are in the process.

The counselor/advisor may provide you with resources and advice regarding the following:

Deciding when to pursue graduate education and how to identify programs

Application timelines

Obtaining letters of recommendation

Entrance exams

Personal statements (if possible, bring a copy of the essay question and guidelines and be ready to talk about your various experiences and achievements)

Graduate school interviews (see the Mock Interview description if you’d like to schedule this type of appointment)

Come prepared to discuss your interests and goals for the future as well as what you expect to gain from your meeting at the Career Center. (If you are not sure about your career goals, consider scheduling a career counseling appointment .)

Bring printed copies of all career documents you have completed for review (i.e., resume, cover letter).

Be ready to discuss your current employment status and any steps you have taken to achieve your career goals.

If possible, know what job you will be interviewing for and what skills the position requires.

If you do not have a particular job in mind, be prepared to indicate the type of job or internship you are seeking.

If possible, bring a copy of the job advertisement and your resume.

The counselor/advisor will discuss your top five talent themes from StrengthsQuest and how to articulate your strengths during the interview process. (Students will receive login instructions for StrengthsQuest in confirmation email.)

If you do not feel ready to answer interview questions, the counselor/advisor will go over basic interview strategies with you.

The counselor/advisor will play the role of the interviewer and ask you a series of typical interview questions.

When the mock interview is over, the counselor/advisor will go over each answer with you and provide feedback.

The counselor/advisor may use books and/or distribute handouts for supplemental guidance.

Confidentiality

All records kept by our office are STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL. Records may include: counseling session notes, assessment results, academic records, resumes, and job-search information. Exceptions to this policy may be made only under the following circumstances: 1) with expressed written permission from the client to release records to appropriate agencies and 2) if there is a clear, imminent threat to the health and/or safety of a client or others, to notify responsible authorities.

In accordance with state, federal and local laws, staff in the Career Center are required to address and report allegations relating to sexual harassment (including sexual assault) and child abuse/neglect. The University is required to respond appropriately if made aware of these types of allegations. Students who would like to speak with someone regarding these types of concerns and desire that the information shared be kept confidential are encouraged to speak with staff in the University Counseling Center (410) 704-2512, www.towson.edu/counseling.

No Show Policy

If you need to cancel a scheduled appointment, please call the Career Center at least 24 hours before your scheduled appointment. A “no-show” will be declared when 15 minutes have elapsed past the original start time of the scheduled appointment. Any student who accumulates three (3) no-shows within a single semester may have appointment privileges suspended for the remainder of the semester. All other services will still be made available during the suspension, such as express advising, workshops, and online resources. If you arrive more than 15 minutes late for your appointment, you may be advised to reschedule for the next available time. We thank you for your cooperation and for your consideration of your fellow Towson students.

Services for Alumni

Recent alumni (up to two years post-graduation) may take advantage of Express
Hours and meet with a Career Center staff member for up to three in-person
career counseling or career advising appointments. If you graduated more than two years ago, please visit the alumni page for more information about the services available to you through the Career Center.

Additional Counseling Resources on Campus

Towson University’s Counseling Center is the primary source of personal counseling and psychological help on campus for students, faculty and staff. The Counseling Center seeks to help students make the most of their college experiences. They work with students to resolve emotional difficulties; improve personal skills; overcome the effects of trauma, disadvantage or substance abuse; and achieve personal goals.